Cornell in Rome is a pretty well rounded program; you learn the ins and outs of your major, but equally as important are cultural skills. Namely, pasta making and wine tasting. When I heard that there’d be a wine night, my sensory receptors were tingling. ‘Don’t you remember,’ my nose throat and tongue chimed in unison, ‘that class you took at Cornell?’ I quickly scanned my memories and the Intro to Wines and Vines materialized. I still sturdily hold to the opinion, sturdier than the Pantheon itself, that VIEN 1104 was the most valuable class that I took at Cornell. Not only did I get to sample some great wines, but I also learned a LOT about the science of winemaking, e.g. biology, psychology, chemistry, you name it! I could probably even grow my own vineyard…in theory. Anyhow, the wine tasting here was about a different kind of science, the science of serving! 
The restaurant, which generously hosted a bunch of college students, was called Renato e Luisa (that’s for you, hungry parents and friends!) And our teacher for the evening was the owner of the restaurant, who also happens to be a sommelier! He taught us how to properly open each bottle type you might encounter in your road to connoisseurdom, as well as what foods to pair with each type of wine.
Needless to say, I shamelessly and furiously scribbled 11 pages of notes into my Smythson Panama. I’ve got you covered. And of course, we got to sample said foods with said wines.
Speaking of food! The lovely administrative director of the Cornell in Rome program, Anna Rita, also taught us how to make our own pasta, on three separate occasions. Gnocchi, Fettuccine, Lasagna, and Ravioli, tutte fatte in casa! It’s one of the few nights where we get to learn something very impressive and rare, enjoy the fruits (or pasta) of our labor, and connect with everyone in the program. And people get really into it. And the food is seemingly endless and delicious. Thanks again, Anna Rita.